Distracted Driving Campaign Launched
Prince George, B.C. – Leave the phone alone. That’s the simple message from ICBC and Police services throughout B.C..
According to ICBC every year in the North Central region, 15 people die in distracted related crashes.
Once again, Police services in the province have launched a month long campaign to reduce distracted driving.
Police are still seeing drivers using their cellphones, particularly while waiting at an intersection or stuck in traffic. It’s one of the biggest misconceptions about distracted driving and a top excuse police hear. This is especially dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists at intersections.
The law applies whenever you’re in control of your vehicle – even when stopped at a light or in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Studies show that drivers who are talking on a cellphone lose about 50 per cent of what is going on around them, visually.
Police are ramping up their enforcement of distracted driving across B.C. Cell Watch volunteers will also be roadside, reminding drivers to leave their phones alone. And ICBC road safety coordinators will be attending community events inviting the public to try a driving simulator to see firsthand how using a cellphone impacts your ability to drive safely.
Comments
Give me a vehicle, ticket book, authority, and $100,000 a year and I guarantee I could easily pay my salary twice over just on cell phone use tickets…
While they are at it, deal with distracted walkers as well.
Two days ago we were pulling up to the stop light at Ahbou and fifth heading east. A pickup truck was making a left turn from Ahbou onto Fifth westbound while a pedestrian started crossing fifth from the north side to the south side.
The pedestrian was looking at his cell phone and not looking where he was going while the truck driver had a dog on his lap and also was not paying attention. There was a close call. Could have easily hit the pedestrian if he had not stopped in the nick of time. It looked like a close call.
Yessss other day I was dntn and this businessman was walking across the crosswalk talking on his cell taking his leisure time. Had to honk my horn at him for lights had changed and he wasn’t paying attention. Some people.
Thing is, distracted walkers rarely kill anyone when they bump into them. That’s probably why it’s a much lower priority for the police.
They have been known to kill or injure themselves.
Yup ! It must be tough to make a quick, defensive driving move with a dog between the driver and the steering wheel. It’s absolutely nuts !
This is an easy habit to overcome. Turn your cell phone off when you’re ready to drive and leave it off until you are parked.
Or, make sure you’re safely parked before answering a call or making one.
While cell phones may be the most common distraction these days, it is not the only one.
Police are reminding drivers to leave their phones alone??? No reminders, just big tickets!! Everyone knows it is illegal to use cell phones while driving. Save the reminders for young kids to look both ways before they cross the street.
As far as I’m concerned, this is just more blah blah blah blah. Yeah, we’re going to be out there, just you wait and see. Look, all you have to do, is put on some plain clothes, go stand at the corner of your building, and you can write a ticket every five minutes if you want. RCMP just don’t have the resources to deal with traffic offenses – until after there’s an accident – then they write the ticket. They’ve been reduced to releasing these meaningless announcements hoping to give the illusion they’re doing something about it. I don’t blame them – they do what they can with what they’ve got. But I’d like to see some of that extra money ICBC gives them to do this kind of work, actually be used for it.
We saw a police officer hiding behind a lamp standard on Ospika around Massey yesterday with a radar gun point at vehicles as they were driving north.
First time I have seen a radar check for at least a couple of years.
Maybe I have been distracted while driving and did not notice them… :-)
Too funny.
Thing is, enforcement has to be consistent. A once and awhile effort doesn’t send a message. Motorists have to believe there is a measurable chance of being caught before behavior will change. There’s a reason why so many people feel comfortable doing a 100 km/h on the Hart. They feel there’s no risk of being caught. If they saw traffic enforcement – even once a week, they’d smarten up.
They are by Domano and St Lawrence now with their radar guns
They are out there alright. Giving out speeding tickets to those that take a chance and pass other vehicles that aren’t doing the speed limit.
You can’t see them because they know how to hide really well. They are always out and about. Just got to look for them. Like in that dark blue Ford f 150.
Friends daughter found out hard way about cell phone use while driving she was nailed with a $900 fine and points and plus because she is still driving with a “N” designation she had her license pulled because as a new driver they cannot be in possession of mobile device while driving even if it’s turned off. Costly mistake for her and she has lost her driving privileges now for 6 months
Good!!! but did she learn anything from it?? One of the rules is “A new driver they cannot be in possession of mobile device while driving even if it’s turned off.”
Follow the rules, seems pretty simple to me.
IMO police are to tough on young N drivers. I feel a warning ticket and a good talking to would have been suffice for a first time offence. Young drivers already pay a way to much for insurance. Loosing your licence for six months is not reasonable and having to wait an extra two yrs to get rid of your N. Many young drivers need their vehicle for work or school and with the crappy transit system we have you can not get anyplace on time.
I don’t agree. There are so many N drivers speeding and driving dangerously, that they need to get slapped hard the first time, then they’ll think about it. This pussy footing around is what perpetuates the situation.
Driving has a lot of responsibility that goes along with it. It seems people these days are not considering that part of it.
Ns? …. I see a heck of a lot of Zs …. I think it stands for Zombie at the wheel.
Or Zero
ICBC has created a system for young drivers that is nothing but a money grab. So many hoops to jump through. Give more so your theory is to keep them off the road for a long time so they will never learn to drive. Think about it-if this person gets one more ticket say failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign could loose their licence for a year. Another thing not all vehicles with an N are not N drivers.
Go to Alberta or Ontario young and new drivers are nailed even worse than here in BC having an accident under 25 in either province will cost the young/new driver up to $25,000 for that accident ICBC is very low compared to those two provinces
Increase the driving age and while were at it the voting and drinking age also.
Then you must increase the age of joining the military… I have always found it a bit nuts that you can vote, enlist..but can’t drink..
Why is that nuts?
Is drinking alcohol a prerequisite to voting?
I suppose with people like Trump running it would be just to get over the shock once you realize you live in a country that actually is able to get someone like that to be in the position of becoming a president.
IS drinking alcohol a prerequisite to enlisting?
Perhaps drinking too much is the only way to get someone to make such a move as to actually enlist.
Or perhaps the test is that one is allowed to drink, but they are able to display enough control not to drink before making decisions of how to vote or whether to enlist.
Distracted drivers are a threat to life….if they are eating, on their phone, have headphones on, having a distracting convo with other people in the car etc..
So what are car companies doing to make us safer.. Giving us the ability to use our vehicles as hotspots for our cell phones..lol
We have all been stuck behind someone at a light that is to busy talking or texting to notice the light chanbed..but once they do notice they step on the gas hard to catch up..like the rest of us are clueless to what just happened.
I say a $1500 fine and your cell is destroyed.. I am sorry but my life is worth more than what ever it is your are chatting or texting about.
As a motor cyclist it is extra scary when people start moving without looking! I have started tapping on windows when people are texting to maybe make them think they are doing something wrong.
Perfect combination Armey or Other for disaster-booze, guns and young maybe wearing a shirt saying ”Watch This”
Comments for this article are closed.